I THE KAHUNA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19774, 23 February 1927, Page 5

I THE KAHUNA

ALLEGED UNSEAWORTHINESS PROSECUTIONS WITHDRAWN [ Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Feb. 22. Allegations regarding the seaworthiness of the steamer Kaituna were made in the Police Court, when 19 members of the crew were charged with failing to proceed to sea without reasonable excuse. John McDonald, seaman on the Kaituna, said the vessel was unsafe to go to sea. Her plates did not meet, and there was cement between the plates. William White said that one of the men who repaired the tanks after the vessel went ashore told him that only one plate was removed. He would not go so far as to say that the cracks between the plates were filled with cement, but he believed the floors of the tanks and uprights should be straightened. Georgo Struthers, boilermaker, who assisted in repairing tho Kaituna, said that for more than two-thirds of her length on both sides there was an indent of over six inches in diameter. All the floor frames and uprights holding the floors and plates were affected. Tho keel plate was fractured. Only a few rivets were renewed. The bent frames were left as they were. D. Rabe, foreman of the boilermakers on tho Kaituna, and Charles Webb, another boilermaker, gave corroborative evidence. Roger Morrison, foreman shipwright to the Union Company, said that the repairs were properly carried out. It was the usual custom for all ships to be covered with two and a-half or three inches of cement to prevent corrosion. The dent referred to was only two inches deep at the maximum. It was quite all right to leave the dent as it was. All the defects in the fore and aft intercostal had been corrected. All the riveting had been done in a proper manner, and there was no possible danger that tho rivets would shear off. James J. Alexander, surveyor of ships for the Marine Department, gave corroborative evidence. The Magistrate, Mr W. R. McKean, said that, after hearing the evidence for the defence, he thought the crew had no grounds to fear for the safety of the vessel. It was to be regretted that boilermakers had made statements which caused so much alarm. Mr Bagnall said that, in view of tho Magistrate’s statement that the ship was seaworthy, he was willing to withdraw the charges. The Magistrate: Very well. Instead of being dismissed, permission will be i given for the charges to be withdrawn.